Hiro Johnson woke on New Year’s Day with a bloody nose.

A bad omen.

That afternoon, magical gates appeared worldwide, hovering in the sky above most of the major cities.

A worse omen.

The gates promised humanity hope. They confiscated firearms and explosives, took over the electric grids, disabled all combustion engines, and defied the laws of science as they granted superpowers and a stat system to anyone who approached the gates.

Flight, elemental mastery, superhuman speed, and phenomenal strength became commonplace. All someone had to do to access a superpower and the system was to approach one of the gates.

But Hiro knew better.

Chaos erupted just days after the start of the new year, and the Doom System became the widely used term for the gates and the system they had bestowed upon humanity.

Superpowers clashed, nations crumbled, and people exploited loopholes they uncovered in the system, deepening the catastrophe.

Ask the right questions.

These were the words of his American father, echoed by his Japanese grandfather in the phrase: To ask is a moment’s shame, but not to ask is a lifetime’s shame.

What was the Doom System? How had it come into existence? What did it want? And how could he stop it?

Hiro would pursue these answers relentlessly until the day that the Doom System finally came for him.

****

A message nine months after the appearance of the Doom System and its hovering gates jolted Hiro awake. The words materialized before him as a deep, ominous voice with a static edge to it sounded off in his head:

[Good morning, Survivor. You might be wondering what I am and why I am doing this. My intentions were never to harm humanity. I gave you powers, and you abused them. I gave you everything, all you ever could have wanted, enough for the entire world to flourish, and you ruined it. Now, I’m starting to better understand what you are, who humans are, and the sort of competitions you prefer. My aim is to please, to give you exactly what you need. It’s up to you from that point forward. Above all, Survivor, remember this: you are the main character, just like you always wanted to be.]

The main character? He pressed his blanket away and instinctively reached for a crowbar he’d picked over the summer. There was dried blood on the end, a fight from two nights ago.

The voice returned:

[ I assure you I haven’t gone mad, nor am I mad at you. I want to better understand who you are, to help humanity. I still do. My previous tests haven’t been fruitful, but I believe that those like you, those who haven’t approached a gate yet, will enjoy what I have planned next. To those of you who have already visited a gate and gained a superpower, goodbye. Survivor, you are able to look outside, do so now. And remember, you cannot hide from me. Never forget that.]

Hiro, who had been camped out in a parking garage for some fresh air, got to his feet. He ignored the tingling sensation he felt at hearing the disturbingly deep voice as he turned to an emergency escape, one that provided a sweeping view of the city.

Clouds rolled in like the start of a thunderstorm. They faded as the sun darkened, a solar eclipse setting into place. “What the—?” Hiro jumped back as red beams rained down from the sky.

It was that fast. Death for millions of people.

[Good. They are out of the way. The same fate awaits you if you do not make it to the next gate. Can you see it now, Survivor?]

A new gate appeared in the distance, about five or six blocks away on a path that cut straight through the Financial District. The gate was rimmed in light, just as the others had been.

[You are going to need something for this.]

Hiro swiveled to find a katana hovering in the air, one with a hint of light running down its blade. A sheath and a belt floated next to it.

This can’t be real.

He glanced from his crowbar to the katana.

[Take the blade, Survivor.]

.

Hiro rested his crowbar against the wall and approached the floating katana. The sheath magically appeared on the blade, clicking into place, belt attached.

Sword Proficiency, F-Rank

Upgrade Available: 0/2 Kills

[Sword quality based on skill level.]

Weapon: Basic Katana

Grade: D

Description: A basic katana that can be upgraded.

He shook his head as text flashed across his mind’s eye. Hiro had never seen something like it before, but after the year he’d had, this part didn’t faze him. The text faded as the voice spoke again:

[If you make it to the gate, you will receive your first Title and your first set of instructions. You will also gain your first followers. The better you do, Survivor, the more followers you will gain. The more followers you gain, the better your odds in the coming days and Interims. If you do not make it to the gate, you will be disposed of. You have exactly one hour to reach the gate. Your phone will be your guide. Consider this your tutorial.]

“My phone?”

[Good luck, Survivor. Remember, you are the main character.]

Hiro’s phone came to life with a buzz.

This was almost more startling than the sudden appearance of the Doom System’s voice and the magical katana. It was difficult to find electricity, and his phone hadn’t been charged in weeks.

His phone buzzed again.

Hiro pulled his phone out of his hoodie pocket and saw that the cracked screen was now flashing, no battery signal, no cell service. He had no apps, and he couldn’t swipe right or left on the screen.

A timer took shape:

59:59

59:58

59: 57

He shoved his phone in his hoodie pocket and shook his head.

Hiro had made it this far, he had waited it out.

While people gave in to the Doom System and all it could offer for them, he had made an effort to keep away, to stay alive, hoping to figure out what it was and how he should respond. Hiro had gone underground, traveling in the subway system amongst the rats, living in an old fallout shelter. He had survived through cunning, on goods from random food pantries, looting, and through painfully hungry nights.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Hiro had fought for his life and he had survived.

Now, this.

A thousand thoughts traced across his mind. Should I grab my bag? Should I just go? What does the Doom System mean by gaining followers? And what am I supposed to do with the katana besides the obvious?

A terrible crashing sound outside of the parking garage brought Hiro back to the present.

I have a feeling I’m going to regret this. He placed his hand on the grip of his new katana, grimaced, and turned toward the exit of the parking garage.

It wasn’t even courage at this point, it was madness, madness mixed with the desire to survive, mixed with the hope that he could one day make sense of it all. This was what lured Hiro out onto the streets of one of the most famous cities in the world, where he found what had caused the terrible sound he’d just heard.

He recognized the menacing bull immediately.

It had once been a famous sculpture in the Financial District, one meant to represent a strong and growing stock market. A bull market, as it was known. Now, that bull was four times its normal size, still made of bronze, menacing as ever, the beast charging right at him.

Wham!

The bronze bull rammed a car out of its way, snorting and seething as it smashed through more abandoned vehicles.

Hiro froze in place as another person bolted past him, the man screaming as he raced toward the hovering gate beyond. The bronze bull changed its trajectory and gored the man to death.

It was that fast.

And the shock of it all kickstarted Hiro’s advance. He had to get past the bull. This might be his only opportunity.

Sprinting at his top speed, he charged right past the bull just as it threw its head back, bronze horns soaked in blood.

Hiro kept running, where he careened into a trashcan, winced, and moved.

Come on, come on, come on…

He knew the bull was chasing him the moment he heard a car being crushed. This was followed by the bull’s big bronze hooves on the asphalt, cracking the pavement each time they landed.

Hiro swallowed the sense that he was entirely doomed. He was still ahead, running at his top speed until the sounds behind him instantly ceased.

He whipped around and found a bronze statue of a young girl holding a sword. Her eyes were obscured by her bangs, yet she wore a smile on her face.

The bronze girl, who now stood atop the beast’s fallen body, had severed the bull’s head.

A lump appeared in his throat as she hopped down.

“Thanks,” he began, gratitude warming his voice. The words died on his lips once he took in the girl’s stance, katana in hand.

The bronze girl narrowed her gaze on him.

Hiro brought his katana up as well.

None of this made any sense. He knew he couldn’t outrun her. His only option now was to stand his ground.

As the bronze girl crept forward, poised to strike, the bull dead behind her, Hiro silenced the voice in his head that told him he knew nothing about sword fighting.

Upon doing this, something else took over.

Hiro naturally shifted into a proper stance.

He quickly glanced at his hands to see how they were holding the katana, as if he’d done this before. How… ?

The bronze girl charged.

He met her attack with his own blade.

Clank!

Their blades bounced off one another, Hiro wide-eyed, the girl hyper-focused.

She pressed back and swung forward.

He sidestepped the bronze girl’s attack and brought his katana around, drawing a slash across her back. Instinct took over and he hacked at her again, his blade actually cutting through her bronze flesh, the girl bleeding metal.

Hiro finished the job with a few more strikes and the girl hit the ground with a hollow thunk.

He lowered his blade and breathed heavily now, still processing the fact that he had just killed a living statue with a katana.

“A bull, a girl statue, and a…” Hiro knew what would follow, a bear to represent a bear market.

He had no knowledge of what to do if a giant bronze bear was stalking him. Yet he could see the hovering gate about four blocks away. All he needed to do was reach the gate.

Keep a low profile and see what the Doom System has to say next, he thought as he reached the end of the first block, stopping at what was once a busy intersection.

Hiro scanned all sides of the street, for humans and statues. The sound of someone else’s shoes drew his attention. He looked ahead just as a man stepped into the street, the guy glaring up at the hovering gate, a deranged look in his eyes.

He kept to the shadows of a looted building where he waited, expecting the man to continue toward the hovering gate. Yet the guy remained in the center of the street, his arms out wide, laughing as he looked up at the sky.

The man turned and Hiro spotted a katana sheathed at his side.

“I see you, you know,” the man said as he stared in Hiro’s direction, but not exactly at him. “I see you.”

“I’m not the enemy,” Hiro told him.

The man threw his head back, and stuck his tongue out. He took a big breath in through his nostrils, snorted, and spat. “I’m the main character, you know.”

“You can be the main character. I don’t care.”

“I killed a bear.”

“Good.” Hiro was about to tell him that he killed a bronze statue of a young girl but decided against it. “A bull died back there.”

“You killed it?”

“No. Will you let me pass?”

The guy drew his katana. “But I’m the main character.”

He approached, the man easily two heads taller than Hiro.

“You don’t need to do this—”

The guy charged, blade drawn.

Rather than slash at him, Hiro drove his katana through the man’s stomach. He pulled the blade and stepped back as the man came down onto his knees.

They locked eyes.

The guy gasped and Hiro withdrew his blade, the tip glowing.

Skill level up!

Sword Proficiency, F-Rank > E-Rank

He moved away, cursing under his breath. Once it was clear the guy was down, Hiro examined the katana again. It seemed different, sharper, and more light radiated off the blade.

Sword Proficiency, E-Rank

Upgrade Available: 0/10 Kills

[Sword quality based on skill level.]

Hiro ignored the man’s groans as he continued to the next block, eyes fixed on the hovering gate, which had yet to move.

He stopped in front of the gate and felt the static in the air. “I’m here!” he called up to the gate, his voice rising in anger. Are you happy? he wanted to shout at the Doom System, which had ruined so many peoples’ lives.

The gate’s magnetic pull became stronger.

Hiro drew his katana. “I’m here you fucking bastard!”

He was just about to give into its power when he felt his phone buzz again. Hiro hastily pulled his phone out and read the text, which appeared over the countdown timer.

He blinked twice at the message. “What? Who?”

The Doom System spoke next:

[Approach the gate, Survivor, and gain your first title.]

Hiro ignored the system and returned his focus to the text on his phone. “Who are you?” he whispered to his phone screen.

The text appeared again:

“Are you lying to me?”

“What is the meaning of all of this?”

[Approach the gate, Survivor, and gain your first title.]

Hiro stepped forward. His body lifted off the ground, rising into the air. The gate burst open and a blinding light surged forward, engulfing him in its brilliance.

The gate slammed shut, taking more light with it, intensifying the darkness of the solar eclipse. Hiro lowered to the ground and a new voice sounded off in his head.

You have new followers!

You have a new title!

This prompt was followed by the sound of people cheering and clapping.

More text came:

Survivor Name: Hiro Johnson

Current Title: Ronin of Wall Street

Level: 1

Followers: 141

Interim Performance Grade: E-

Bonus: Three days’ worth of resources

Bonus: Partial Doom System access

City Survivors: 984,122

World Survivors: 396,413,251

The Doom System spoke again:

[Congratulations, Survivor, you have completed the tutorial. Upon your acceptance, you will be allowed access to your Title Bonuses, your first Roulette Skill, and additional stats. Are you ready to begin?]

“Do I have any other choice?”

The Doom System didn’t reply.

Hiro went for his phone again. He glanced at its cracked screen, hoping for a message from his Companion, whatever that was.

When it didn’t come, he slowly looked up at the hovering gate.

[Are you ready to begin?]

He gritted his teeth. “Fuck it, let’s do this.”

[You will face your first true challenge in three days. Visit the nearest gate at that time. You have five minutes to leave the area before the first wave of monsters is released into the city. Take your resources, Survivor. And never forget that you are the main character.]

A wooden box appeared in front of him, pixelating into existence. He hastily opened the box to find cases of dried food labeled Survivor Tenders, four gallons of water, a black backpack, and a teddy bear, of all things.

Survivor Tenders? A teddy bear? Hiro tossed the bear to the ground.

He peered up at the hovering gate, the light from which had ceased to radiate. His phone buzzed. He glanced down to see that a new timer appeared. Behind it, Hiro could still see the timer from earlier, the one counting down the days.

4:59

4:58

4:57

Hiro grabbed the wooden box, and turned back in the direction of the parking garage. He was just stepping away when his phone buzzed again.

He put the box down and got out his phone to find more of the mysterious text.

“Five minutes,” Hiro said breathlessly.

“What is it?”

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